Haven't found an answer on Google ... so help, y'all!

[Kota Mitera]

As the hooligans (17 barred rock chicks, age 4 weeks today) are growing, developing and learning I have been keeping their routines as close as possible to what they will encounter when they move to their coop/yard. At dusk they crowd into the cat carrier and they run there when scared. However it is getting too small. I want to train them to roost at night. I want a mini-coop in the brooder. I have been searching on Google and on Pinterest, but haven't seen anything that looks like what I want. Boyfriend will build it but he needs a picture. Does this sound reasonable, has anyone trained their chicks to roost at night before the big move.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I have never bothered. I have installed lower roosts in the main coop before, just so that they are not competing quite so much with the older birds. But the chicks will naturally want to sleep higher, so eventually they'll figure it out.

 

[Elizabethwood09]

I don't think you need a whole coop. Maybe just put some roosting bars in the brooder and they'll figure it out.

 

[Lydia Huizenga]

I put up roosts in my big brooder and raise them higher as my chicks grow. They figured it out by themselves.

 

[Kota Mitera]

Thanks everyone, maybe I am the one who needs to figure it out. I think too much.

 

[drinkoj]

Thanks everyone, maybe I am the one who needs to figure it out. I think too much.

Yes you are so welcome to the club. Mine roosted on the top of their wire cage last night and I just stuck a stick between cage surrounding; phase 2 of introducing our four week chicks to the 13 week chicks. This picture doesn’t show it but you can get why I did.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Don't overcomplicate things. Get them out in the coop, and let them figure it out from there. Trying to convince them to roost in a brooder and then moving them into the coop would throw them off anyhow, so really doesn't end up accomplishing anything.